Gas-producer.



No. 680,828. Patented Aug. 20, 19m.

G. WESTINGHUUSE.

GAS PRODUCER.

(Application filed Apr. 25, 1901.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet i.

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GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAS PRODUCER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 680,828, dated August 20, 1901. Application filed April 25, 1901. Serial No.'5'7,366. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE,

' a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Producing and Utilizing Gas, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the construction of apparatus for economically and efficiently producing and utilizing gas.

The object of the invention is to provide convenient and compact apparatus for producing gas in the quantities required to meet the varying demands, andit particularly aims to provide efiicient means for utilizing the sensible heat of the products of combustion from a gas-engine in manufacturing the gas required for its operation.

The producer may be generally described as consisting of a producing-chamber surrounded by a series of air-heating circuits, through which the air required in the producer may be passed, receiving heat on its way to the fuel-bed of the producer, while the exhaust products of combustion from the gas-engine are passed through circuits in immediate contact with the air-heating circuits, the two systems of circuits being so arranged with reference to each other as to afford a continuous difference in-temperature between the entering air and the escaping exhaustgases from the gas-engine or other source and hence the greatest possible transference of heat from the gases to the air.

The invention also involves various details of construction peculiarly adapted to a gasproducer of this character.

The general plan of operation is to charge the producing-chamber with asuitable fuel such, for instance, as anthracite coaland ignite it. The valves are then so placed that a draft will be formed through the stack until the producer is started. The connections of the passages are then suitably changed to cause the air to pass downward through the air-passages around the fuel-bed and upward through the fuel-bed, causing combustion,the resulting gases passing out through the gaspassages to the gas-engine and the hot products of combustion therefrom then passing upward through the heating-passages surrounding the producing-chamber and thence to the atmosphere. The air for supplying the producing-chamber is admitted through the air-passages, passing in a direction opposite to the direction of flow of the hot products of combustion, thus becoming heated on their way to the gas-producing chamber and absorbing a large portion of the heat radiated from the refractory walls of the gas-producing chamber as well as receiving heat from the hot products of combustion. If desired, a surplus of the gas may be drawn off and stored instead of passing to the gas-engine.

In another application filed by me January 15, 1901, Serial No. 43,431, I have described an organization of apparatus operating in essentially the manner described herein; but the present invention relates more especially to certain novel constructions of the producer, the purpose being to simplify the construction and at the same time secure the greatest economy and efficiency.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an elevation of a gas engine and producer arranged in the general relation called for by my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the top of the producer with certain parts removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the producer. Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section of a portion of the producer, and Fig. 5 illustrates certain details.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the producing-chamber, having the usual wall 2, of suitable refractory material. This wallis surrounded by a shell 3, of iron or other suitable material. A second shell 4 surrounds the shell 3, being separated therefrom a sufficient distance so that in the space between there may be arranged vertical tubes 5, which extend from near the bottom of the producing-chamber to near the upper end thereof. The tubes 5 are supported in any convenient manner by heads 6 and 7 at their respective ends. The lower ends of the tubes terminate in an annular chamber 8, extending around the base of the producing-chamber. An inlet-pipe 9 leads to the chamber 8 from the exh aust-passages of a gas-engine 23. The hot gases from the gas-engine pass in an upbed for loosening and stirring it.

ward direction through the tubes 5, which terminate at their upper ends in a chamber 10, from which an exhaust-pipe or exit 11 'is led. The pipe 11 may be connected with the chamber 10 at one or more points by branch pipes 11 Air-entrances are provided into the space around the upper end of the producing-chamber, so that air may pass downward about the pipes 5 in close contact therea with, and thus to the bottom of the producing-chamber, and thence through suitable,

pipes or ducts 13 into the fire-box at the proper points for supplying heated air to the producer. In the drawings I have shown the entrance to the air-passages from a chamber 12*", surrounding the upper portion of the prod ucer-top, passages 12 leading therefrom to the space about the tubes 5. Air is admitted to the chamber 12 through an open ing 12", and steam is admitted into this opening through an injector 24. This injector leads from a steam-raising coil 2.5, suitably disposed about the upper portion of the producer. In the drawings I have shown the top plate of the producer as constructed with an annular box comprising the lower portion 25? of the compartment receiving a port-ion of the steam-raising tubes 25. This is covered by an annular top 25 constituting the upper portion of the chamber. A portion of the steam-raising tube or coil is shown as encircling the lower end .of' the hopper 16 within the producer itself. The end .of the coil is brought ou,t,as shown at 27 ,and the hot water from the gasengine jacket is led through a pipe 28 to a suitable point for admitting the hot water to the tube 27 through a cook 28. The gases produced in the chamber 1 may be led off through an outlet 15 to any desired point. In the drawings I have shown a pipe 15, leading to a scrubber 29, of any suitable character, from which a pipe 30 leads to the inlet of the gas-engine 23. Fuelsuch, for instance, as fine coal-4s supplied to the pro ducer through the hopper 16.

In the drawings I have shown a series of openings 31, provided with .covers 32, through which pokers may be introduced into the fuel- Near the bottom of the producer and just above the grate are other poker-openings. 33. Any suitable form of grate may be used.

I have shown the produceras provided with a water-sealed bottom consisting of an inverted-cone-shaped wall 34, extending into a suitable basin 35, designed to contain a supply of water, as indicated. The ashes drop into the water and are withdrawn therefrom beneath the lower end of the wall 34.

The producer is supported upon suitable annular pillars 36, upon which rest the bottom plate 37, this plate forming the lower side of the annular chamber 8.

For the purpose of better conserving the heat within the producer the shell 4 may be surrounded by a packing 21-.such, for instance, as asbestos or other refractory material-and this is held in place by a shell 22.

For convenience of manipulation the pipe 15 may be provided with a valve 15 and the pipe 15 is also connected with the gas-exit pipe 11 through a valve 15. In ordinary oporation this latter valve is closed and the valve 15 opened; but when for any purpose it may be desired to open the producer directly to the pipe 11 the valve 15 may be closed and the valve 15 opened.

I have described the invention more particularly with reference to the tubes 5 being used as the passages for the hot exhaust-gases; but it will be understood that the gases may be caused to circulate through the spaces around the tubes and the tubes used as the inlet-passages for the air, the connections thereto being suitably adjusted for that purpose.

Usually the pipe 11 is constructed of considerable height and serves as a stack for producing a natural draft when the producer is started from a cold condition. It will be understood that when the engine is shut 0E and its exhaust-valves thus closed the pipes 11 will be practically closed at the engine; but by opening the valve 15 and preferably closing the valve 15 the production of gas may be continued through the effect of the natural draft through the stackll. The stack 11 consequently performs a double functionfirst,

supplying by draft the air necessary to bring the producer into a working condition, and this being accomplished, second-1y, serving to carry away the products .of combustion from the gas-engine after traversing the producerwalls.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination in agas-producer, of a producing chamber, an inc losing wall for maintaining a high temperature withinihe producer consisting of an inclosin g cylindrical space, tubes extending thereth rough, thereby forming two passages, connections with the lower ends of the tubes for receiving hot gases, an exit from the upper ends of the tubes, connections with the upper end of the passages outside the tubes for admitting air to said passages, and connections from the lower ends of the air-passages to the bottom of the producer,whereby hot gases pass upward through the tubes and air to be heated passes downward about the same and into the producer.

2. The combination in a gas-producer, of a producing-chamber, a cylindrical space surrounding the same, tubes extending therethrough, the said tubes forming one set of passages and the space around the tubes forming another set of passages, means for conveying air in a downward direction through one set of passages and into the producing-chamber, and means for conveying hot gases in an upward direction through the other set of passages.

3. The combination in a gas-producer, of a producing-chamber, a cylindrical space intubes into the last-named chamber,and means for passing hot gases through said tubes.

4:. The combination in a gas-producer, of a producing-chamber, a cylindrical space inclosing the same, tubes extending through said space, a hot-gas chamber at the lower end of the said tubes, and a chamber at the upper end thereof, containing a steam-coil, the tubes serving to connect the said chambers, and an injector adapted to inject steam into the space around the tubes, said space being connected to the lower end of the producing-chainber and being adapted to receive air in combination with the steam.

5. The combination in a gas-producer, of a producing-chamber, two sets of passages surrounding the same, one for conveying hot gases in an upward direction and the other for conveying air in a downward direction into the bottom of the producer, a chamber above the hot-gas passages, with which said passages are connected, a steam-coil in the said chamber, terminating in an injector which communicates with the entrance of the air-passages.

6. The combination in a gas-producer, of a top therefor formed with an annular groove or depression for receiving steam-coils, a cap having a similar groove or reentrant portion adapted to register with the groove or depression in the top of the producer, and a substantially horizontal steam-coil a part of which is located in the said groove or depression, and a part in the reentrant portion of the cap when the latter is in place.

7. In a gas-producer,a producing-chamber, a steam coil combined therewith, a portion of the said coil being located within the producing-chamber, and an annular chamber surrounding the upper end of the producingchamber and constituting a separated compartment containing another portion of said coil.

8. In a gas-producer, the combination of a producing-chamber, a cylindrical inclosing space therefor, gas-tubes extending through said space leaving air-passages about them, and an annular air-heating chamber at or near the upper end of the producer, communicating with said air-passages.

9. The combination with a source of hot gases, of a gas-producing chamber, an inclosing heater therefor consisting of passages for hot products of combustion, connections from the heater to a stack, connections from the producing-chamber to a gas-exit and also to the said stack, and means for controlling the openings of said connections respectively, whereby a draft can be secured for the pro ducer through the stack, or by the same device the products of combustion can be car= ried off from the source of hot gases after A. M. Gow, WM. H. CAPEL. 

